Step 1: Trace the Pattern

Trace around the lower body from belly button level to toe tips. Use any paper large enough such as pattern paper, postal paper, or a cut-open paper bag.

Line up the monofin with the toe area and trace to complete the pattern.

Add 1 inch allowance around the trace line for a child or 2+ inches for an adult.

Step 2: Cut Out the Swim Tail

Fold the fabric front sides together. Pin the pattern to the fabric. Cut out the pattern, adding room (about 2 inches) at the top for the elastic casing.

Step 3: Sew the Swim Tail

Pin the two sides of fabric front sides together and sew around the sides and bottom edges.

Fold down the top and sew a casing for the elastic. Measure the elastic to fit snugly around the waist, insert into the casing, and finish.

Insert the monofin into the swim tail. It's ready for swimming.

Step 4: Safety Tips for Mermaid Style Swimming

Use only with adult supervision. Always attend young or inexperienced swimmers.

Use core muscles to swim like a dolphin. Practice sweeping the tail forward to place the feet on the pool bottom to regain a standing position at any time.

The tail should slide on and off easily. Make the elastic tight enough to stay on, but loose enough to easily slide down to free the legs and feet.

Step 5: Video

Here you'll see my youngest daughter using her mermaid tail with a floating ring. She's older now and more experienced with her tail. However, with responsible supervision, even very young children can have fun being a mermaid.

My kids sometimes take out the monofin and shuffle around. I haven't tried leaving the bottom open, but that would be easy enough. You just wouldn't sew it. Swim fabric doesn't fray, but you could hem or surge the edges if you wanted.

I MADE IT on Monday night! My daughter's birthday was Tuesday. It was so simple to make... thanks to your detailed instructions. Thanks so much. I ended up using the scrap pieces along with an old swimsuit to make a matching top for her. Huge success! Really easy to make and at least 1/2 the cost of the websites selling these retails.

Greetings everyone. I'm the one who put up this DIY mermaid tail. Similar tails are available commercially (I'm not affiliated with the company). (Check out Mermagica.com for videos of children swimming underwater mermaid-style in mermaid tails--Very cool!)

Some people allow fear to guide them, while others primarily follow joy. I try to live somewhere in between. Getting in the water with this mermaid tail (and any pool or water use, really), certainly warrants caution and care. My young daughters and I have had a lot of fun learning and experimenting with this style of swimming.

There's also a video series on Youtube, "The Secret Life of a Mermaid," which features girls wearing mermaid swimming tails. Check it out for more ideas on swimming with these tails.

About This Instructable

Bio:I'm an unschooling mom of three girls, author of 'Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning,' 'The Unschooling Happiness Project,' and 'memoirs of a strange little girl,' writer of articles on homeschoolin...read more »